Shloka 18

मानवसर्गः, चातुर्वर्ण्य-गुणकर्म, यज्ञ-प्रतिपादनम्, आश्रमधर्म-फल, नरकवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

ततो दुर्गाणि ताश् चक्रुर् वार्क्षं पार्वतम् औदकम् कृत्रिमं च तथा दुर्गं पुरखर्वटकादि यत्

Transliteration

tato durgāṇi tāś cakrur vārkṣaṃ pārvatam audakam kṛtrimaṃ ca tathā durgaṃ purakharvaṭakādi yat

Translation

Thereafter they constructed fortresses—those of forest, those secured by mountains, those protected by waters, and also artificial strongholds—along with towns, market-villages, and other settlements.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• दुर्गाणि: forts, strongholds
• दुर्गाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• ताः: they
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• चक्रुः: made, constructed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वार्क्षम्: wooden (forest-based)
• वार्क्षम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वार्क्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दुर्गम्)

• पार्वतम्: mountain (hill)
• पार्वतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दुर्गम्)

• औदकम्: water (moat/water-based)
• औदकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दुर्गम्)

• कृत्रिमम्: artificial, man-made
• कृत्रिमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दुर्गम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (in like manner)

• दुर्गम्: a fort
• दुर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पुरखर्वटकादि: towns, villages, etc. (settlements)
• पुरखर्वटकादि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + खर्वटक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (पुर-खर्वटक-आदि-समूहः)

• यत्: which, that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rise of social organization and defensive settlements as conditions harden

Teaching: Historical

Quality: descriptive

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Kings
• Settlers

FAQs

What is the significance of different types of forts in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames kingship as protective order: forts adapted to terrain (forest, mountain, water, or engineered) symbolize organized security enabling stable cities and villages.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of governance here?

By listing fort-types and settlements, Parāśara presents governance as structured creation on the human plane—building defenses and habitations that sustain dharma and social continuity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in practical polity, the Purana implies a Vishnu-centered order: lawful protection and settlement-building mirror the sustaining function (sthiti) associated with Vishnu as the preserver of the world.